A commercial truck driver who told his bosses that he was taken hostage at gunpoint by two men was later arrested and accused of driving while intoxicated, unlawful possession of an open container and filing a false police report, Oregon State Police reported.

Thomas James Conner, 33, of Bellingham, was lodged in the Douglas County Jail, troopers said.

The incident began Wednesday afternoon when the man’s trucking company contacted authorities to say that one of their drivers had sent a text message saying he was being held hostage.

The driver said two men with guns took his keys and told him to stay with the truck until they returned to steal it and a load of berries he was transporting.
Troopers from the Roseburg Area Command office scrambled on Interstate 5 to find the truck, troopers said.

A trooper made telephone contact with the driver, but wasn’t able to get a straight story about what happened, troopers said.

At about 2:50 p.m. troopers found the truck on the Interstate 5 southbound near Canonyville, a town south of Roseburg, troopers said.

The truck was abandoned with its engine compartment hood up and emergency flashers on. Troopers began searching the area and found Conner and another man walking about a quarter mile away from the truck.

Troopers said that Conner and the man, an unauthorized passenger, were too intoxicated to drive and made up the story.